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Paul Hunter was crowned Masters champion for a third time in four years on Sunday night after a breathtaking final against Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The 25-year-old Yorkshireman defeated the Rocket 10-9 at Wembley Conference Centre after a superb match in which O'Sullivan had looked home and dry.

Hunter deserved every penny of his £100,00 pay cheque for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat when O'Sullivan led 6-1, 7-2 and 9-8.

With his blond Beckhamesque hairstyle, the Leeds lad certainly potted some golden balls to win snooker's most prestigious invitation event.

He knocked in five centuries during a sensational contest, one more than he managed against Fergal O'Brien when fighting back from 6-2 down against the Dubliner in the 2001 final.

In 2002 Hunter was 5-0 behind against Mark Williams but again stormed back to take the title 10-9.

However, this match even eclipsed those two thrilling encounters. Fiancée Lyndsey Fell was quickly into the arena to plant a kiss on the new champion's cheek.

"You are going to ask me about Plan B, aren't you," grinned Hunter, who first used the magic formula against O'Brien.

"Lyndsey is good at what she does," added the cheeky world number eight who indulged in some interval nookie to revive his flagging fortunes.

"Ronnie played well in the afternoon and I didn't do too badly with a couple of centuries. But tonight it all clicked."

O'Sullivan tried his best to keep Hunter at bay in the near five-hour contest. But even the world number three couldn't hold back the tide.

It was a remarkable effort by Hunter who compiled breaks of 117, 102, 109, 110 and 127. He also added further runs of 82 and 58 plus a vital 36 in the final frame of the night.

O'Sullivan produced his best moments in the afternoon when he fired in runs of 56, 80, 86, 87, 84 and 79.

In contrast his highest effort of the second session was a modest 41. However, he did take the £10,000 high break prize for his 138 against Jimmy White in Saturday's semi-finals.

There was also a £50,000 runners-up consolation prize.

"I've only lost a snooker match, I could be in Iraq," said O'Sullivan whose defeat will revive bad memories of 1997 when he led Steve Davis 8-4 but ended up losing 10-8.

"Life goes on. In sport it would be great if there were two winners sitting here with the trophy. But there has to be one winner and one loser - and tonight Paul is the winner."